Quidditch as Metaphor (was) The Gryffindor Quidditch Team

[Petra Pan]

No: HPFGUIDX 53414

Mr. Ed wrote, in part:
> What if Quidditch is an idea that
> overlays the entirety of the series?
> 
> I first asked myself that when
> rereading CoS -- in particular in the
> scene where Harry is explaining
> Quidditch to Colin.  I don't have the
> book, but Harry explains how the game
> ends when the Seeker catches the golden
> Snitch.

Yes, this is my reading of the main 
narrative function of Quidditch too; the 
Quidditch positions had struck me as 
being reminiscent of archetypes when first 
I read of them.  JKR seems to be making 
this metaphor between sport and hero's 
journey with a very light touch though, and 
as it is, I am not convinced that JKR has 
already presented us with all that she 
has to say about the similarities between 
playing the Game of Quidditch and being 
the Hero of your own Life.

Of course, it's entirely possible that I've 
overlooked the subtle hints.  I have 
already posted that I suspect JKR to be 
performing sleights of hand every time 
she...uhm...BANGS.  And in the excitement 
that are Quidditch games, we're likely to be 
distracted from seeing every parallel that 
exist between life and sportwell, at least 
on initial readings and with canon still 
incomplete.  Quidditch and its strategies 
may very well resonate with strength once 
we know how this series end.

> Is Pettigrew the "golden snitch"? So far: 
> 1) Pettigrew's main contribution to the
> story is having RATTED on the Potters to
> Voldemort, i.e., he SNITCHED on them; and
> 2) how do know that Ron's early attempt
> at magic (" . . . butter mellow, turn
> this ugly fat rat yellow") was a complete
> failure?

Pettigrew very well may be the Snitch 
in this metaphor and Ron trying to 
turn him yellow, the color of gold, 
may indeed be a bit of a punchline.

> Maybe the action in the story
> will reach its conclusion when Pettigrew
> is caught in a way that has some finality?

I too can see this happening. 

> I note that in the Voldemort wars, one
> of the key defenses is the use of a 
> secret KEEPER -- and the goalie/chief
> defender position in the game is a 
> keeper.
> 
> The seeker in the overall story is
> presumed to be, and probably is,
> Harry.  But who knows?

I see these parallels too and am on the 
lookout for the foils for the Chaser and the 
Beater.  I haven't come up with any 
parallels yetanyone?

> I'm sure there are more ways creative
> people could turn much of the story 
> into an extended game of (or series
> of games of) Quidditch.
> 
> It would be fun if at the end of the
> series a recap of all the action can
> be made to parallel the game.  JKR
> wouldn't have to hit us over the head
> with the comparisons.  The subtler
> the better?

I see at least one aspect of the plot 
to be in parallel with the sport.
Note that one of the strategies for 
winning the Quidditch Cup involves NOT 
catching the Snitch...not ending the 
game...until the Chasers have accumulated 
enough points to win the game AND the 
tournament.

This may parallel Harry having to hold 
himself back from preventing Peter's 
escape during the Time-Turner sequence 
in PoA and to some extent his holding 
back his desire for revenge in showing 
mercy to his parents' murderer.  Future 
events may prove that if Harry had caught 
Peter or allowed him to be killed in PoA, 
then Harry would have won the battle but 
not the war.

We also see an interesting variation 
on this theme during the QWC in GoF.  
When winning the 'war' becomes seemingly 
impossible, Krum opted to win SOMEthing 
by catching the Snitch.  He cut his 
team's losses so that if they had to 
lose, they lost by a smaller margin.

Petra
a
n  :)

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